Commando: The Autobiography of Johnny Ramone

A brutally honest, photo-packed memoir from the guitarist who helped invent punk rock.

Raised in Queens with a blue-collar edge, Johnny Ramone co-founded the Ramones and drove them with military precision―earning a reputation as the band’s drill sergeant and its backbone.

In Commando, Johnny tells his story in his own words: from rebellious youth to global icon, from the birth of punk to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This photo-packed volume is more than a life story―it’s a time capsule of punk history. Inside you’ll find:

• Candid reflections on fame, discipline, and the Ramones’ rise.
• Johnny’s personal rankings of every Ramones album.
• Eccentric Top Ten lists―from favorite horror films to Elvis classics.
• Pages from his legendary “black books” filled with notes, anecdotes, and inspirations.
• Rare photos and memorabilia, many published for the first time.

Praised by fans as “honest, fast, and straight to the point,” Commando feels like a conversation with Johnny himself―gritty, unapologetic, and unforgettable. 

Whether you’re a lifelong Ramones fan or discovering punk’s roots, this is the ultimate insider’s account of a band that changed music forever.

The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002―and two years later, Johnny died of cancer, having outlived two other founding members. 

“Feels like a conversation with Johnny.” ―The Boston Globe

John Cummings (1948–2004), aka Johnny Ramone, was ranked by Rolling Stone as #16 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” In Time’s rating of the “10 Greatest Electric-Guitar Players,” he was named, in a fit of appropriate rebellion, #11.